Elon Musk's AI company xAI plans to invest $20 billion in building a large data center in Southaven, Mississippi, which will house the world's largest supercomputer and create numerous jobs, despite environmental concerns and local opposition.
AI stocks experienced volatility in early 2026, with Lumentum and Ciena gaining significantly due to data center investments, while Nvidia edged down after CES announcements. Investor concerns include high valuations, debt levels, and energy costs for AI infrastructure, amid a broader market reevaluation of AI's growth prospects.
Fermi Inc. (NASDAQ:FRMI) surged 15.75% ahead of its upcoming business update and participation in the Evercore Power Conference, amid renewed optimism in the AI industry and recent developments in its data center operations, including a major tenant pullout and a new power supply agreement.
Elon Musk's AI startup xAI has purchased a third building near Memphis to expand its AI training capacity, aiming to boost its supercomputer Colossus to nearly 2 gigawatts of compute power, in a move to compete with industry leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Elon Musk's xAI is expanding its data center complex in Memphis by purchasing a third building in Southaven, Mississippi, increasing its AI computing capacity to nearly 2 gigawatts, as part of its plans to build the world's largest AI training data center.
Regulators approved the first-ever GLP-1 pill for obesity, with Novo Nordisk's shares surging; Alphabet announced a $4.75 billion acquisition of data center company Intersect; the euphoria around electric vehicles has waned as automakers shift focus to traditional trucks and SUVs; Paramount Skydance secured backing from Larry Ellison for its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery; Instacart ended its AI-driven pricing tests after consumer concerns.
Alphabet is acquiring data center and energy infrastructure company Intersect for $4.75 billion to expand capacity and enhance energy solutions, with the operations remaining independent, and the deal expected to close in the first half of 2026.
OpenAI's Stargate data center project in Saline Township, Michigan, has been approved despite local opposition and concerns over transparency, environmental risks, and short-term economic gains, amid a broader national pushback against rapid data center expansion driven by AI industry investments.
Michigan regulators approved DTE Energy's contract to power a large AI-focused data center in Saline Township, despite public opposition and concerns over environmental and energy impacts, with the project expected to create jobs and boost the local economy.
Morgan Stanley highlights Nvidia, Broadcom, and Astera Labs as top semiconductor stocks for 2026, driven by strong AI demand in data centers, with Nvidia and Broadcom leading in processor and AI infrastructure markets, respectively.
Residents in Michigan oppose a $7bn data center backed by major tech and political figures, citing environmental risks, increased energy costs, and loss of rural character, leading to legal battles and protests against the project.
Micron Technology exceeded Wall Street expectations with strong Q1 earnings and revenue, driven by high demand for AI-related memory and storage solutions, leading to a significant stock increase and optimistic outlook for the upcoming quarter.
Oracle's stock fell nearly 5% after a report suggested a $10 billion data center project was in limbo due to stalled talks with Blue Owl Capital, though Oracle denied the report and stated the project is on schedule. The project aims to serve OpenAI in Michigan, amid broader concerns about Oracle's heavy investments in AI and its impact on stock performance. Despite recent declines, Oracle remains a key player in AI infrastructure, but its stock has been volatile due to fears over its large debt and investment strategies.
Oracle's stock (ORCL) declined after reports indicated that Blue Owl withdrew from a $10 billion data center project, impacting investor confidence in Oracle's growth prospects.